Awards & Honors

The C. Wright Mills Award Typically each year, the Sociology & Anthropology faculty selects one outstanding graduating Sociology & Anthropology senior as recipient of the C. Wright Mills Award. This award recognizes a student who, over the course of their undergraduate career, personifies excellence in the major and promise for outstanding scholarship in the field.

Recipients:

1990: Richard A. Connolly

1996: Julie Davidson

1997: Amanda L. Cross and Hannah Knudsen

1998: Debbie K. Hulbert

C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) was a leading sociologist of his time. Somewhat of a professional renegade, Mills was instrumental for, among other reasons, maintaining some Marxian/radical tradition in American sociology though he was not a Marxist. Among his more prominent works are White Collar (1951), The Power Elite (1956), and The Sociological Imagination (1959). He was critical of 'establishment' sociology that dominated the discipline in the U.S. and aside from his varied scholarly contributions, embodied the critical spirit of sociological analysis.

Departmental Honors Each year, the Sociology & Anthropology faculty will designate departmental honors to a select number graduating seniors. This recognition is based on the students' academic performance and other factors deemed crucial by faculty members.